Glasgow continues to amaze me with it's endless cozy cafes and funky bookstores/recordshops/pubs/thrift shops. Most of what amazes me this week, though, is the incredible quality of Scottish Theatre. As I have learned in my Scottish Theatre class it really is quite unique from any other theatre in the world and the productions that I have seen have held up that high standard. Three of the plays I have been to have been incredible, among the best productions I have ever seen.
First: Beautiful Burnout (http://tinyurl.com/beautifulburnout) which is about amateur boxing--it was performed at a very high intensity which combined boxing with dance with choreographed calisthenics routines, it was very impressive to watch.
Next: The Interiors (http://tinyurl.com/3aj3tub) which is definitely the best performance I have ever seen. The narrator is the only voice throughout the entire play, the characters are separated from the audience inside a house and are entirely silent the whole time. The plot was that there were friends getting together for a dinner party, but that was really less important because the play focused on these little moments between people that you could pick out and empathize with. It was incredible to think that you never heard the characters speak but it felt like you knew them so well.
Finally: Black Watch (http://tinyurl.com/33bhpv) which was actually quite disturbing and overwhelming, but as a piece of theatre it was very powerful and beautiful. It is about the legendary Black Watch of Scotland, a regiment that has existed for centuries, which was sent to Iraq to replace American troops. The playwright wrote it after interviewing actual members of the regiment who were in Iraq. It was challenging watching it from the American perspective and also interesting seeing the Scottish perspective. All in all a very draining and emotional experience though I strongly believe such intensely charged plays should and need to be produced.
I also attended what is called "a play a pie and a pint" at a pub called Oran Mor, somewhere that is turning out to be the most versatile places I have ever been (I have been there for a concert, for dinner, for a drink at the pub, to the dance club, and for a play!). Basically the premise is you pay 8-12 pounds for a pint, a meat pie (DELICIOUS) and a play. Last week they put on special 2 minute plays all abut Glasgow in celebration of their 200th play. This goes on every week with a new play from leading playwrights. It was amazing fun and I ended up seeing 23 two minute plays ranging from plays about Glasgow slave owners to a very large man dressed up as Judi Dench singing a saucy little number. All in all it was amazing and hysterical--the Scots have a very twisted sense of humor!
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| My meat pie and pint, an excellent lunch! |
In other news I have impressed myself by actually making myself complete and tasty meals, like this one:
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| Pasta with carmelized onions, blue cheese and parmesean; sauteed courgettes/carrots/potatoes |
And I spend a lot of time at my favorite cafe--Montgomery's. It has delicious mochas and today I tried their 'nutellalatte' (needless to say it was amazing!). The owner is very nice and I have become a regular with my friend Claire, though it is a bit dangerous that it is right on our way to campus!
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| This is a vanilla lemongrass mocha from my 2nd favorite cafe, Artisan Coffee. |
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| Claire and our amazing and delicious and reasonably priced mochas at Montgomery's. |
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